Bethenny Frankel is defending the Victoria’s Secret Fashion Show amid ongoing criticism.
The SkinnyGirl founder, 55, shared her views in an Instagram post on October 21. “Money talks, Kylie Jenner walks,” she said as she laid emphasis on how the brand has to sell bras all year.
Her post came after online criticism of the October 18 show. Some fans said Jenner’s $50 million diamond bra felt tone-deaf during a tough economy. The show also had Barbara Palvin, Adriana Lima, Candice Swanepoel, Irina Shayk, Yasmin Wijnaldum, and Alessandra Ambrosio rocking the ramp with their walk.
Tate McRae and Megan Thee Stallion were among the performers.
Frankel also touched upon another part of the debate that bothers her. Many people say they miss what the show used to be. She said it was never a puritanical event. It was always a spectacle. It had a musical act, such as Justin Timberlake in 2006, and gorgeous women.
“Something else about this Victoria’s Secret discourse bothers me,” Frankel said. “People saying, ‘I miss what it used to be,’ as if it’s some puritanical event that’s really drastically changed.”
She also said the old shows had a darker side. In her words, they were really about “girls drinking champagne and smoking cigarettes.” She said some models tried to stay extremely thin to walk the runway.
Frankel said this year’s show is a big step forward. She pointed to its focus on inclusivity and multicultural beauty. “We’ve come a long way, baby,” she said.
She also said influencers are the new supermodels. Her advice to critics was, “Don’t hate the player, hate the game.”
